Historically, nursing research is scarce, although Florence Nightingale reportedly valued astute observation and gathering of evidence and indicated the importance of these for nursing.
Research has been considered the exclusive domain of academicians, nurse-scientists, doctoral candidates-or worse, researchers from other disciplines who have found nurses a rich source of data for study in the behavioral sciences. Study of the nursing profession by behavioral scientists has resulted in certain benefits. Many pertinent facts have emerged from these studies that have given insight to nurses concerning their responses to patients and to each other. However, nursing cannot justify its worth as a separate discipline unless clinical research is performed by its own practitioners. Nurses engaged in direct patient care are best qualified to do nursing research.
Nursing research begins with a discrepancy, a perceived difference between two states of affairs, or an uncomfortable feeling about the status quo. A difference is felt between what is occurring now and things as they could, ought, should, or might be. A gap might exist between what is known and what needs to be known to take action. Or there might be a discrepancy between sets of facts.
Your curiosity and your belief in the worth of your practice should guide your interest in nursing research. In the course of your work, if you note that certain situations or sets of circumstances bring about specific patient responses, collecting this data can, over a period of time, result in increased knowledge for nursing. More importantly, it may result improved care for the patient, family, and community.
References :
Palmer, Irene Sabelberg, “Florence Nightingale: Reformer, Reactionary, Researcher,” Nursing Research, 1977.
Diers, Donna,” This I Believe...About Nursing Research,” Nursing Outlook, 1970.
